AT A GLANCE: Addressing problem of the Oklahoma State University Medical Center in Tulsa
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Published: November 21, 2008
Addressing problem
St. John Medical Center has proposed taking over the operation of the Oklahoma State University Medical Center in Tulsa and maintaining its residency program.
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The future of the OSU hospital and its residency program remained uncertain as officials from the state, city of Tulsa and St. John continued this week to discuss the best way to keep the facility open and subsidize indigent care in the state’s second-largest city.
The OSU residency program plans to move from the OSU Medical Center to the St. Francis Health System in Tulsa on July 1. But that plan has led many in Tulsa to predict that the OSU Medical Center would close and other Tulsa hospitals would not be able to absorb the additional indigent care.
Lex Anderson, chief financial officer for the
St. John Health System, said while he couldn’t comment on specifics, "we are working diligently to make certain there is enough capacity in Tulsa’s medical infrastructure so that all citizens can continue to find access to care when they need it the most.”
He said financial stability would require increased funding for indigent care and for medical education.
House Speaker Chris Benge, R-Tulsa, said discussions have been "constructive.”
"All sides are committed to finding a solution and I am confident that we can develop one that stabilizes the residency program, addresses the indigent care issue in Tulsa and is a good deal for the taxpayers of Oklahoma,” Benge said.
The future of OSU Medical Center has been uncertain since its owner, Ardent Health Care Services, had a disagreement with OSU a year ago about a pact to serve as a training hospital for OSU students. Many patients served by OSU Medical Center are uninsured and can’t pay for their health care.
Ellen Averill, spokeswoman for the
OSU Center for Health Sciences, said the situation hasn’t changed.
"OSU has been working diligently to find a solution for our physician training programs and we are extremely grateful to
Saint Francis for their willingness to provide a stable home for our residents during a very difficult time,” she said. "Additionally, we will continue to be involved in ongoing efforts in the Tulsa community and in cooperation with the legislative leadership to address northeastern Oklahoma’s indigent care problem.”
Contributing:
Staff Writers Susan Simpson and
Julie Bisbee and The Associated Press
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